History

Nestled in scenic
Vann’s Valley, named for a Cherokee chieftain,
the City of Cave Spring was established in
1832 by settlers of English and Scotch-Irish
ancestry.
The town was named for the limestone spring
which produces 2 million gallons of water daily
inside
a cave in the center of the village.

Churches were begun as soon as
houses were built, and in 1838 the Cave Spring
Baptist Church appointed an education committee
with the purpose of establishing a permanent
school.

Historic Schools

Classes began January,
1839 in a store building owned by Armstead Richardson.
Two
months later the education committee purchased
200 acres of land from Mr. Richardson, and a
little later bought 480 acres from G. Wynne.
Part of the
land was cultivated by students at the Manual
Labor School, and part of it was sold in lots
and was
part of the town of Cave Spring when it was incorporated
in 1852. The school was named the Lott Hearn
Manual Labor School in 1856 after Mr. Hearn bequeathed
a $12,500 endowment. Later the name was changed
to Hearn Academy and is now used for special
events.

Cave Spring established the first
public school in Floyd
County, and today boasts a school of excellence
at the Pre-K and Elementary levels.

The Georgia School for the Deaf
was founded in 1846 by O. P. Fannin with four
deaf students who met in a one-room log cabin.
When Fannin Hall was erected in 1848, the number
of students had increased to fourteen. The establishment
of this school brought new life to a helpless
and hopeless segment of our society - deaf children.

The school was closed from
1862-1867 due to the Civil War, during which
time the Confederate and Union forces used
Fannin Hall for a hospital. In 1997, the City
of Cave
Spring purchased the original Deaf
School Campus from the State of Georgia for
$178,000. In August, 1999, city offices relocated
to Fannin
Hall, and the old City Hall building was
rented to private individuals. Today the GSD
campus
on Perry Farm Road is the setting for excellent
educational preparation for deaf students
and multiple-handicapped students.

All Aboard!

The construction of 137 miles
of railway by the State of Georgia in 1841-1850
from Atlanta to Chattanooga provided new means
of transportation to the area and had a great
impact on its growth. In 1868 there were plans
to connect Selma, Rome and Dalton, and in 1880
the East Tennessee, Virginia and Georgia Railway
built the depot. Later Southern Railway sold
the depot to a private individual.

Rolater Park

A very important day in the life of Cave
Spring was October 23, 1931 when Dr. J. B.
Rolater deeded 29 acres to the residents of
Cave Spring for their enjoyment. In the early
days local residents were allowed to tour the
cave free of charge, and out-of-town visitors
were charged ten cents. The natural beauty
of Rolater Park and the historic buildings
provide enjoyment to every visitor.